Finding a home Housing Tasmania Fact Sheet
Housing Connect is the way to get housing and support in Tasmania.
Housing Connect can help you find a home.Their role is to provide services that will help you to:
get a good home
stay in that home.
Housing Connect is for people who are:
new to social housing
living in social housing already.
They will work with you to find out what kind of support you need.
This might include:
help finding a home to rent
help finding a home to buy
using social housing, including homes from Housing Tasmania
finding somewhere to stay if you are in crisis, for example, a motel if you need to leave quickly to escape family violence
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help with the cost of moving
help to stay in your home.
Getting to know the social housing providers
There are a number of different organisations that manage housing.They are called 'social housing providers'.
Their role is similar to that of a real estate agent or landlord in the private rental market.
Housing Tasmania is one of these providers.
Social housing providers will: collect the rent
make sure the home is being Page 3
looked after well
follow up on any problems you are having.
Some examples of social housing providers currently working in Tasmania include:
Housing Tasmania
Centacare Evolve Housing
Community Housing Limited
Housing Choices Tasmania
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Mission Australia Housing
The social housing providers work in different areas of the state.
You can find out more about these providers at www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/housing. There is a lot of information under ‘Better Housing Futures’. You can also get more information through Housing Connect.
Who can use social housing?
Social housing is for people who are in need of housing support.
Each of the social housing providers, including Housing Tasmania, have different rules about who can use their services.When you talk to Housing Connect, they will help you work out if you can use social housing.
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As a guide, the following rules apply to Housing Tasmania services.
If you want to live in a home that is managed by Housing Tasmania, you must:
live in Tasmania, not another state or territory
be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
be 16 years or older
be a low income earner who is eligible for a Commonwealth Health Care Card
not own a home of your own
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not have financial assets worth more than $35,000. This includes things like shares, property and money in the bank. This amount includes your assets and the assets of any other people who live in your household. It does not include things like your car or your household items.
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Where can you find Housing Connect? Housing Connect has offices in the following locations:
Suburb Address
Hobart Level 3/181 Collins Street
Rosny Suites 3 & 4, 13 Bayfield Street
Launceston 118 Elizabeth Street
Devonport 31 King Street
Burnie 6 Strahan Street
Queenstown West Coast Crisis Service, 11 Sticht Street
Smithton Wyndarra Centre, 43 Smith Street
Jenny’s story
Jenny lives in Devonport.
She doesn’t have any family around anymore.She has been living at a friend’s place for a while.She needs support to find somewhere to
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live.She went into the Housing Connect office in King Street. They made an appointment for her to speak to an officer.This person helped Jenny to:
apply for a home
plan for the cost of moving.
Housing Connect helped Jenny to find a home with a social housing provider. The provider in her area is Housing Choices Tasmania.
More information
Other fact sheets that might be useful: Applying for a home How many bedrooms? Offering you a home
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Who can use social housing?
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Our contact details
Housing Tasmania 1800 808 340
Housing Connect 1800 800 588 (24 hours)
TTY users phone 133 677, then ask for 1300 13 55 13Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 1300 13 55 13Internet relay users connect to the NRS then ask for 1300 13 55 13Housing Connect [email protected]
Department of Health and Human ServicesGPO Box 125HOBART TAS 7001
www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/housing
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